The American Dragon: Fresh Encounters
by jerielsj
Summary: Jake Long, the American Dragon, finds himself in the company of a new dragon on the block, Hector Brooks, with uncanny abilities, who has been sent against his will to learn the skills of a dragon under Lao Shi. Mathias Heyse, a sombre wizard-in-training, is also a new addition to this AU Fanfiction, wherein the dragons will have to stand against what seems insurmountable.
1. Change

●●● _Mathias' POV_

I was five when I first asked who my mother was.

"It's not the first time we're discussing this, Mathias. Please get back to your work," Bertrand muttered as he dismissed me with an airy wave of his gloved hands. Father was in America, again. This time on a business trip. He wasn't due to return till two days later.

I frowned. _Why wouldn't he give me a definite answer?_

I made my way up to my bedroom. My wooden work desk was just as cluttered as it was dusty, and the chaise longue wasn't spared either. My room held a glorious collection of literature, as did every other room and corridor in the place. Shakespeare and Wordsworth, amidst a crowd of dictionaries and spell books.

I never liked any of those antiques father brought home. Far too many of them. Who'd ever need Qing dynasty vases or ivory pianos? Why are we wasting good space for books on pianos?!

I hate how I have father's brown eyes and hair. His stares terrify me. Bertrand sometimes asks me jokingly if I've been born with a suit and tie. I… I can't deny that. Navy suit and tie, to be precise.

The mansion is occupied by a family of two, three if you include Bertrand.

Bertrand is the caretaker. My caretaker, rather. I rarely speak with anyone but him. At least he appreciates my literature. I think he does. He's the only one in the household without any special abilities of his own. Silly human.

I called forth a book from the third bibliotheca on the second floor, and there it came soaring into the room. An interesting, refurbished incunabula on shapeshifting. Father told me that he's only ever heard of a few wizards able to shapeshift, while retaining innate abilities of the entity in question. I'm one of them. Now, if only I could master the simpler spells.

I wish it'd stop raining so much.

●●● _Hector's POV_

Hector found himself waking up with a searing headache, and for the fourth time that week. He roughly knew what to expect, but wished it'd come sooner. A month from now would be his fifteenth birthday.

"Good morning, dear! How's your head this morning?" his mother piped merrily. Hector wasn't remotely as cheerful as his mom was. In fact, he couldn't understand why she was always so cheerful. Or perhaps, he just felt moodier than usual.

"It's back," he grumbled.

He had been anticipating this for quite a while now. The symptoms were supposed signs of his draconic development, namely the ability to transform into a dragon and back. Having been born into a family of dragons, it came as a shock that he hadn't changed at the age of thirteen- or fourteen.

Hector as usual slid down the bannister as usual to join the rest of his family for a breakfast of flapjacks.

"G'morning, young man. Your mom and I will be going grocery shopping later. Wanna come?"

"I'd rather not dad, I'm meeting Alex for skateboarding."

"Suit yourself."

●●● _Mathias' POV_

Father finally came home today, clutching a large envelope with a red seal of wax.

"What's that, father?"

"That's not important. What is, is that we're moving to New York."

●●● _Hector's POV_

The pancakes were fairly satisfying, slathered with chocolate sauce. Mmm.

Now for a nice, long shower.

I looked into the mirror for the last time after before sliding into my clothes. _Looking good, Hector._ Gyming paid off big time. I comb and smear my luscious black hair with wax, spray on a film of deodorant, and manoeuvre into a grey polo tee- wait. What was that I saw? A glint of silver... on my left forearm.

Scales! My forearms are covered in gleaming, silver scales! How did I not see those in the shower…?

Shoot. I can't let Alex see me like this.

I hastily put on a grey jacket over my polo tee. It's uncomfortable, but I don't have a choice, do I?

●●● _Mathias' POV_

"What?! How are we going to fit all those books in an apartment this tiny?!"

I found myself reacting more than I would have liked. Father merely eyed me sedately.

"We'll have to make do, Mathias. I've got an amazing job offer, and I'm not forgoing it. We can, of course, buy more space if we need it."

I crushed the already crumpled property brochure showcasing those pathetic houses. I lamented the idea of moving. Where would all my precious books go? And would I... have to go to school?

"But… but what about my wizard training?"

I could see the annoyance building up in his eyes. I had best not ask any more questions.

"I'll continue to tutor you as per normal," he said irritably. "However, you will be going to a public school for your regular education."

Good grief. At least transportation wouldn't be an issue.

●●● _Hector's POV_

"Dude, you feeling alright?" Alex remarked with concern. "You look very... pale,"

Uh oh. What now?

"Uhhh, I feel fine!"

Alex's eyes widened. "Are you sure you don't want to take off that jacket? You're sweating buckets!"

"Nah, I'll keep it on."

I could sense him shooting me weird looks. Knowing Alex, he'd insist I take it off.

"Seriously bro, take it off!"

"I'm... I'm… There's nothing beneath it."

"Oh."

●●● _Mathias' POV_

The last of the books and our worldly possessions were packed. Apparently, dad already had the title deed of the place over at New York.

At the snap of his fingers, a portal was opened, rippling and radiating with violet. In it, I could make up an outline of our new place.

It looked awful.

●●● _Jake's POV_

"G, but I've plans! Please don't make me do this!" Jake begged. He knew that his grandfather was not to be pleaded with, but Trixie had invited him to her place for videogames.

"No young dragon, you must welcome your new neighbours to town for a good first impression. The dragon council has told me that they're a bit... magical."

"Aw man!'

End of Chapter 1!


	2. The Argent Dragon

●●● _Mathias's POV_

"That had better not be a salesman," I thought to myself as I clambered out of bed to answer the doorbell.

A peek through the eyehole revealed a boy in a red jacket, possibly around my age. Spiky black hair with green highlights. Holding a small white box. Hmm, seems harmless enough.

I unlock the door and pull it open.

"Hello, are you looking for anyone...?"

"Erm, hello," he said while scratching his head. "I'm one of your new neighbours. The name's Jake."

Okay, not a salesman.

"Nice to meet you, Jake. I'm Mathias. Moved here from London. Does it rain here often?"

"Not really."

Finally, less rain here.

"I've heard interesting things about your…" he began trailing off.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Never mind!" Jake smiled awkwardly and passed me the box. "My mom made some cake for your family. See you around!"

And with that, he went scurrying off.

Cake. How very kind.

I open the box slightly.

Chocolate? Sod it, I'm never touching that.

●●● _Jake's POV_

"Geez Gramps, that Mathias guy was so uptight! And he was wearing a suit and tie and everything!" Jake exclaimed, gesticulating wildly. His Grandfather merely stared at him dispassionately.

"Young dragon, you must not be quick to judge! He probably has his own reasons for wearing that," the sagely old man remarked. "I've heard that he's a wizard in training."

Jake looked at him in askance. "Why'd he move here all of a sudden then?"

"I don't know, Jake."

●●● _Hector's POV_

I dismissed myself slightly earlier than I had planned.

I made my way home in the most covert way I could think of, covering my head with my hoodie and not looking up. Not that I could see anyone or anything too well like this, but I could already feel the public glares being shot at me.

Oh my God, that was what Alex was talking about. "Pale", as in, my face is completely silvered!

How the heck am I going to go to school this way? Mom and dad are going to freak!

I heard the familiar sound of the car backing into the garage. My parents were home. From my window, I saw mom and dad getting out of the car, four hands holding swollen bags of groceries. What could I do? It's not my fault, is it?

I made my way to the front door to… uhhh… Crap. I saw it coming.

"Oh my god! Hector!" mom looked hysterical, and was dropping groceries all over the kitchen floor. Dad hasn't even seen me yet.

"You're... you've changed! You're finally like us, dear!"

Wait, what? She's _pleased?_

"Harold! Come ove-"

Dad came stumbling through the door in halts and hiatuses before mom was even done screaming.

"What is it, dea- Hector! You're finally changing, two years overdue! Your... your mom and I thought you were human-locked!" Dad was beaming, and so was mom.

They looked at one another in blessed relief. I for one couldn't understand the fuss.

"What about school? I can't go around looking like _this!_ " I began rubbing my forearms- to draw their attention to my now completely slivered limbs.

"School's not a problem. We'll keep you at home for a while," dad remarked, still smiling from ear to ear.

Mom was now frantically picking up fruit scattered all over the floor.

"We'll have to visit the dragon council once you're fully dragon. The one we've been telling you about, on Draco Island," she chirped, still bending over.

It began with an unpleasantly warm sensation spreading across my entire back. I found myself unable to sit still, so I figured I'd take a shower and freshen up. As the warmth intensified, I quickly shed my clothes and leapt into the cool embrace of running water behind closed doors. The water alleviated the feeling slightly, but it continued to linger in my chest. Must be one of those weird dragon things. I lifted my forearm to look at the scales, to find that they had now reached my wrists, and that they were glowing- and reacting violently with the water, fizzing vigorously.

Oh god, what's happening to me!?

Neither mom nor dad were at home. A wave of lethargy came over me, and I felt my energy dissipating. A flurry of pain shot up my back, and I collapsed forward- face first into the glassy walls of the cubicle. The water stung my newly-bloodied nose, and I tried to turn the tap off from the floor.

I… I can't move...

Darkness enveloped me as my eyelids failed to open, as though glued shut.

The once-friendly water continued to cascade and cascade, and my arms continued to fizz and fizz.

Blinding white light met my eyes as soon as I pried them open. The familiar, strangely soothing hospital air came wafting into my... snout?!

I sprung out of the hospital bed. Mirror. Mirror? Mirror!

My eyes met with those of a majestic beast argent and grey, steely-eyed, donning impressively broad wings of silver leaf with immaculate silver filigree. A galvanised underbelly, of the same colour as its leaden claws and the frills running down its back, tapering off towards the tail's end.

And that beast is now me.

In the periphery of the mirror, my parents as dragons and a cluster more.

A bespectacled blue dragon clad in a white clinical cloak approached me, all smiles. "Good evening Mr Brooks, I see you've recovered already. That's unusually quick! Fainting cases usually... never mind."

 _I fainted? Really?_

The man I figured to be my doctor was shoved onto the empty bed by two dragons, arms spread wide in tender embrace. _Mom and dad!_

"Oh honey, we're so glad you're awake!" mom was trying to land a kiss but I dodged all the onslaughts.

"And how are you liking your new dragon form?" dad appended.

I found myself tightly wrapped in the scaly arms of my parents before I could even respond, and surrounded by a laughing mob of draconic doctors and nurses.

" _Mom, dad, let go! They're watching!"_ I whispered in hasty undertones.

I was freed from their binding grasp.

"Sorry dear, we didn't realise we were embarrassing-"

"Never mind that!" I cut them off before they made any more silly comments. "I think I look awesome! But how... what happened to me? And where are we?"

"We're in Draco Island's Young Dragon Hospital, young man! Or should I say, _dragon!_ Your mom and I found you fainted on the floor in the shower, and you didn't lock!"

I could feel the blood rising to my cheeks, now flushing with red.

" _Too much info, dad!"_

There I was, blushing madly in a hospital room, surrounded by onlooking dragons. Shoot.

 **End of Chapter 2!**

Remarks:

Well, now you see how awesome Hector's dragon form _looks_ , but what can he do in _combat?_. The next chapter will be released a little later due to my exams and stuff, but stay tuned for more! I'd appreciate comments and feedback, too. Don't hesitate to PM me! Thanks for reading! :)


	3. Dragon Summit

Hello, readers. This one took a while, but it's somewhat longer than the earlier two chapters. *claps*

This one is written in third person, as some found the earlier two hard to wrap their heads around.

Hopefully the next one doesn't take as long...

Enjoy, and feedback is most welcomed!

●●● _Third Person_

Fu Dog materialised from behind boxes of cassette players clutching a bowl of cheese-drenched nachos in the dust ridden tenement, mouth occupied with said nachos.

"Jahke! Bihg nehws!" Food and words were struggling to flee the shar pei's mouth as it spoke. "Ngew dahgon ohver aht Dahco Ahland!"

"Swallow before you speak!" an incensed Grandpa hollered disdainfully, who always considered talking with one's mouth full to be an atrocious practice.

A pause.

"Sorry, Gramps. As I was saying, a new dragon has surfaced! Huehuehuehuehue!"

"What's so special about this one?" Jake questioned, glancing suspiciously at Fu Dog. The six-hundred year old was known to be rather mendacious.

"That's easy kid, it's completely-"

"We'll find out when we get there," Grandpa shouted, cutting off Fu, who was now guzzling the remnants of the bowl.

"Doesn't that mean we have to take the elevator again? Thinking of it makes me sick!"

"Yes, young dragon. It's the only way."

"Aw man!"

* * *

Jake found himself cupping his mouth with both hands upon staggering out of the notorious elevator, in a desperate attempt not to eject his lunch. Apparently, you can get quadruple- not just double- vision from that thing. Who knew? Fu too was in dire straits.

Grandpa remained as composed as ever.

…How?

Once the stars cleared from his eyes and he no longer felt like he had just broken the sound barrier, Jake came to realise that Grandpa and Fu had already wandered off. Typical.

"G'day, Jake-a-roo!" resounded a familiar sounding voice, heavy towards the Australian. "I guess we're here for the same reason?"

Shading his eyes from the harsh island sun, Jake looked up to see the descent of a glorious yellow dragon, much bigger than what he had remembered it to be. Fred Nerk, the Australian Dragon. As a dragon, Nerk had leafy orange wings with orange bands around his body and tail- a stark contrast from Jake's brilliant crimson. A pair of charming antlers sat atop his head. Nerk reverted to his human form immediately upon landing, dressed in yellow garbs which complemented his curly orange hair. Despite being fifteen just like Jake, he was certainly taller.

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked, perplexed by his question.

Nerk ruffled Jake's hair playfully, eliciting much displeasure from the American teen.

"Don't mess with the AmDrag!" he bellowed, cursing under his breath.

"Heh, I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers mate," the Australian remarked demurely, smirking to himself. "Anyway, haven't you heard of the Argent Dragon?"

"The Argent whaa-?"

Nerk shot Jake a quizzical look and rolled his eyes before proceeding to explain patronisingly.

"Silly, the Argent Dragon! Some big shot new dragon named Hector Brooks is here to steal my limelight _again_! And he's almost completely covered in silver scales!" Nerk shivered with displeasure upon mentioning the name "Hector Brooks". Jake knew well how much he hated being outshone.

"Where is he, anyway?"

"He's in the hospital. The youth one. The dragon council wants all world dragons there at the hour, we should head over soon. Let's not stand at the elevator landings."

 _Maybe that's why Gramps brought me here_ , The American thought to himself.

Nerk took the courtesy of leading Jake to the hospital, considering he knew the island like the back of his hand from lounging about the place so much. The two youngsters morphed into their draconic counterparts and took off into the clear skies of Draco Island.

Jake noticed the changes of the island that took place since his last visit a year ago from high above its shores. New quartz pavilions scattered about the place, an addition of palms, an astonishingly poor paint job of the training facilities. Despite flying ever so often, he simply loved being airborne, the wind running against his face and down his back, the sheer thrill of it. A lowly human can only see so much; as a dragon, perhaps, there would be no human contact. But then there was the beauty of having the best of both worlds, and he was truly grateful for it- even if only there and then.

Jake's reverie was disrupted when Nerk intercepted him in flight, almost hitting him in the head with a taunting blue fireball. Fred chuckled mischievously from several metres above the crimson dragon, covering him squarely with his shadow.

"What was that for?! Wanna piece of the AmDrag?"

"We agreed on a rematch the last time, didn't we? Heh! Let's have a go then!" the yellow drake hollered from several feet ahead, creasing his leafy wings into optimal position in preparation for extreme flight. "First to the hospital wins!"

It took a split second for that to render in Jake's mind, but by then Nerk was already metres ahead. Jake lost to Fred by a hair's breadth when they first competed in a race of flight around the perimeter of the island. There was third party interference, but of course, Jake wouldn't come to terms with his loss. _Darn you, Dark Dragon_.

"Oh _no_ you're not going to be winning this time!"

Jake boosted himself into furious flight on the tail of Nerk. He'd learnt that locking his wings at a certain angle would reduce drag and in turn aid his acceleration. With no obstacles coming into play, the two dragons were neck and neck in competitive flight- Jake slowly shortening the distance between them. The two dragons manoeuvring deftly over ten kilometres above sea level. Moments later, they were side by side.

"Ha Nerk, perhaps you've lost your title of fastest flyer!" Jake hollered, smirking to himself.

Nerk however, had tricks up his sleeve.

"Oh really?" Nerk replied, returning the snicker. "Let's see what you've got, Jake-a-roo!"

The Australian Dragon made a sharp veer followed by a sharper nosedive, startling Jake.

"What are you doing?!"

"See you at the finish!"

Nerk- wings and arms tucked close to his body- was plummeting downwards from thirty-five thousand feet above sea level, hurtling towards the ground. The hospital wasn't too far away.

Jake replicated the stunt, and too made a risky nosedive, directly behind his competitor, Nerk's stripy tail inches away from his nose. Both were rocketing downwards at blinding speed. Jake got the usual adrenaline rush- which he loved so much.

By the time gumption superseded thrill, Jake realised that he would have to begin slowing down- the ground was not too far away now, and he knew he had to start decelerating from an unfortunate past experience.

And then Nerk jammed on the breaks mid air.

 _AAAAAHHHHHHHH!_

* * *

Jake didn't feel any pain when he rammed into Nerk. It should have hurt, but it didn't. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was his amazing ability to negate pain. But it was probably the adrenaline.

All he knew was that he had rammed into Nerk's back, head first. And then both came crashing down, nearly a kilometre above ground.

* * *

"Jeez Nerk, you were supposed to bring me to the hospital, not end up in it!" Jake snickered, yet not unkindly, as he prepared a hot beverage for his currently bed-bound friend.

Nerk groaned.

Unfortunately for him, he hadn't passed out when he struck the ground- which caused him to revert to his human form. Nor when Jake slammed onto him, crushing his leg once he did. That meant that he felt everything, and was entirely aware of how he had been carted to the hospital. There was this throbbing pain in his left leg, and a weird tingling sensation in the foot of said leg.

An X-ray clearly depicting Nerk's fracture hung over him tauntingly as a cloaked blue doctor administered to him. Painkillers. The seasoned rugby player had been through worse, but it still hurt.

A lot.

Jake shuffled around the room, musing over how he had hurt Nerk, now moaning and groaning while the doctor did things he knew nothing of. It wasn't intentional, of course. _But who was at fault?_

 _Why did Nerk stop flying mid-air?_

 _How am I going to explain this?_

 _I'm going to get in such big trouble for this!_

He shook his head in a futile attempt to clear his mind of those thoughts. He glanced at Nerk from the couch he was on, who now appeared to have dozed off. Anyway, what was he talking about earlier? _The Argent Dragon?_ Hector Brews? What does "argent" even mean?

* * *

"Ah, you're early for once, young dragon!"

Jake's heart skipped a beat. Grandpa was here.

"Oh, erm, hey G!" Jake pretended to greet his Grandma warmly. In sooth, he really didn't want to see him.

 _How did he find me here?!_

"I'm aware of what happe-"

"I..I can explain! Just wait!" he interjected, terrified of the consequences which lay before him.

Grandma merely stood in silence, and gesticulating for Fu Dog- previously waiting outside the room- to come in.

"Hey kiddo, we heard what happened to you and Nerk. Word sure gets around fast, doesn't it? Anyway, I brewed a special potion for the kid," Fu Dog said as he pulled out a firkin of a peculiar pink substance. It seemed... milky, to say the least. Jake knew from experience that it was one of the most vile tasting things out there.

Fred still lay supine in bed- oblivious of the sensory horrors awaiting his tastebuds. Fu climbed up the bedframe and onto the mattress, where the Australian slept mouth ajar.

Off came the lid and down the hatch it went.

Nerk was (now) wide awake gagging on the nauseating stuff, desperately trying to pry the bottle out of his mouth while Fu held it steady. Jake looked on empathetically.

"YUCK! What the heck was that?!" Nerk yelped, scrambling for a drink that didn't taste like three-year old mouldy petrified anchovies. He found solace in the cup of cocoa Jake made him earlier, and sunk back into his bed and under the sheets.

"It's a healing potion! You should feel better... soon. Just wait. The Dragon Council is outside," Grandpa piped, usually cheerfully. Nerk grunted.

Jake was safe from his Grandfather's wrath. At least for now.

"Good afternoon, Mr Long and Mr Nerk," Councillor Kulde greeted as he entered the increasingly populated room, Councillors Omina, Andam, and Kulkulkhan behind him. "And good afternoon, Luong Lao Shi."

Grandma bowed respectfully, and the council reciprocated.

"Word of what transpired between yourself and the Australian Dragon Fred Nerk has reached us. But that is a small matter," said councillor Andam. "The summit with the world dragons has been called off, but we'd like to have a word with you."

Jake heaved another sigh of relief. He was more concerned about the consequences than any meeting with any of the other world dragons. But still, he had to feign concern of some sort.

"Why?" was all he could manage.

The Council members cast several glances at one another, before Councillor Omina broke the silence.

"The meeting's agenda largely revolved around finding a trainer for the new dragon, of which you might have already heard," she spoke, while gesturing for someone to come into the room. "This is Hector Brooks, your new peer in training."

Jake was spellbound by the entry of a gleaming stalwart figure, unlike any dragon he had seen before. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't taller than him when he was also in his dragon form, unlike Nerk.

"Hi, Jake. I'm Hector, and I think I'm going to be training with you from now onwards."

Jake was staring daggers at his grandfather, oblivious to his grandson's unhappiness, still welcoming the new dragon.

 _Why on earth would G' agree to this?! This rookie is going to give me so much work to do!_

Jake stifled an internal groan before weakly replying, "Hey."

Hector seemed to pick up on his not-so-well-hidden displeasure and immediately shut himself up. He was grateful when Councillor Kulkulkhan ushered Fu Dog and himself out of the room for a private talk with Jake and his Grandfather, the former putting up more resistance than he did.

The door was then shut, and he could pick up muffled words from the conversation going on within the room- Nerk still in it.

He managed to pick up "apprentice". And then "schedule". And something about "quarters". All this despite Fu's noisy complaining.

When he was being briefed by the councillors, he was greatly looking forward to meeting his new mentors and the prospect of training. But that changed when one of these supposed mentors reacted so negatively.

 _Certainly they wouldn't have made him do it against his will, right?_

His parents were waiting in the hospital lobby anxiously, two floors down.

 _Do they know anything about this? And did they hear that this old man lives in New York?_

He couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea that he would have to move to New York just for the sake of mandatory training.

●●● _End of Chapter 3!_


	4. More Change

My apologies for the ungodly long wait, but here it is, Chapter 4, at long last. Instead of pardoning myself by saying I was really really really really busy, I'll say that I've actually written this Chapter by the end of December, but was far too lazy to format it for uploading. Now that it is the Lunar New Year, I have no more reasons for unproductivity. You'll find that it's far longer than or almost as long as all of the other chapters combined (I don't want to do the math, ok?). Enjoy!

* * *

The Dragon Council was leaving the room in tandem, when Councillor Andam casually reminded Jake to help Hector revert to his human form.

Jake growled on the inside.

 _This is going to take forever!_

The moment all the councillors left the room, Grandpa ran with impossible immediacy to the only silver dragon he knew, no longer bound by the needs of decorum.

"Jake! Take a closer look at his silver scales!"

Grandpa was poring over the silver scales, the silver wings, the seemingly metallic being before him.

"Jake! Take a closer look his scales! They must hold some sort of magical property!"

Hector stood still and strived to maintain a straight face, awkwardly so as the old man continued to tug at his scales, completely intrigued. He felt almost objectified, and certainly uncomfortable, but chose not to voice any of this in the light of things.

Jake mumbled under his breath.

Grandpa paid no attention to Jake, and looked into Hector's eyes intently. Hector stood absolutely still, pretending not to notice.

"You have a lot of potential, young dragon," Grandpa said after some time of awkwardness, recognising it at long last, clearing his throat after. "I should introduce myself. You may call me Lao Shi."

"They sort of already told me that."

"And I will be your dragon master. Jake, my grandson, will be my assistant."

Jake turned to look grimly at his grandfather.

"Now, Jake will help you with your transformation. Fu and I have some matters to attend to."

Fu walked out of the room on his two hind legs grumbling to himself. Hector had heard of animal guardians from his dad, but never expected anything of that sort. A talking, anthropomorphic dog? But he wasn't really in a position to comment, either.

Someone Hector didn't yet recognise put a hand on Jake's shoulder and looked at them with friendly eyes. "G'day, you two. You've both got your work cut out for ya, eh? I'll help."

* * *

"No no no, not like that you _idiot_!"

Jake was pulling his hair in both frustration and desperation. How could it be so impossibly difficult to get a dragon back into its human form?

Nerk was as good as new now. The (according to the doctor unorthodox) potion had taken its effect and he agreed to help. He didn't have else to do, according to him.

"Look how I do it!" Nerk instructed, who with a quick snap of his fingers, returned to his human form as a thin veil of evanescent smoke formed in rings around him. He'd been going back and forth for quite some time now. "You don't actually have to snap your fingers, though."

The new dragon was at a complete loss. Almost two hours of travailing in the uncomfortably humid Draco Island Training Hall had already gone by, yet he was still unchanged. Nerk's demonstrations _displayed_ the process, but didn't actually _explain_ it. He couldn't possibly return home like _this_. His back was starting to ache, too.

"You need to focus. Think about being a human."

Jake tried to recall what Grandpa had told him when he too was at that stage, while Nerk continuously repeated his demonstration.

There they were at an impasse, two humans and a dragon.

Hector called for a fifteen minute recess. The process was too draining, though more so for his instructors.

Jake sauntered out of the grand hall and slumped against a palm tree planted nearby. He had to think of a different strategy. Nerk followed suit, their backs facing each other. Only god knew where the newbie wandered off to.

"I think we need to take another approach to this," Nerk mumbled. "The kid probably doesn't even know what he's doing."

"You don't say. I can't believe Gramps trusts me enough to leave me here with the new kid. It's so... weird."

Nerk chuckled. "Of course he does, you've been under training for over two years now. You should have the basics at your fingertips by now."

Jake remained silent.

"Don't worry mate, we'll get him fixed," Nerk responded reassuringly, who turned to place his hand on Jake's shoulder.

"Thanks... mate. We should get back to coaching once he's back. I'm really sorry about what happened earlier today."

"Don't fret, Jake-a-roo."

Jake was grateful for Nerk and his loyalty. He yawned, and Nerk followed shortly after. The dreary warm weather seemed to have a sleep-inducing effect on everyone.

"And, eh, Jake, don't you think you were a bit... _harsh_ on him?" Nerk spoke in an undertone. "I mean, it's not _his_ fault that you're stuck with him."

Jake looked at him both irritably and sadly for having said such a thing, but couldn't deny it either. He was surprised that Nerk wasn't unhappy with the newbie. After all, he was at first.

"Perhaps he'll be more receptive if you're less harsh. After all, you'll be working with him for... quite some time."

Meanwhile, Hector had taken off to wander the island. His footsteps were heavy, and he walked on the grass to dull the noise.

 _I just got into a dragon, and they want to turn me back? Already? Jeez!_

He didn't want to revert into his human form yet. He felt... different as a dragon. He felt _better_. Empowered. Possibly Invincible. But most of all, his back felt sore. The doctor said it was normal the first few days.

 _So, this is what mom and dad must feel like. But maybe not so sore._ He'd only ever seen them as dragons once, when he was really little. He wondered why _they_ couldn't train him.

He had wandered from the training hall with the weird statues to a secluded, shady spot near another hall he didn't know what was for.

He looked at himself, at his new reptilian, almost metallic body he hadn't yet had time to work with. He looked at his claws, tugged at his scales and poked at his wings. It would take him some time to get used to all these things. He could feel the joints of the wings on his back, and spread them out. They were much larger than he had expected, all this while having been folded up on his back. The sinuous silver filigree covering a large portion of the membrane almost looked like viny embroidery.

By now, he knew that dragons came in different shapes and sizes, as well as colours. But he also knew that he wasn't like Jake or Nerk, or even his parents. Even Lao Shi hadn't seen anything like him before.

 _I wonder when I'll be able to fly with these?_

The break wouldn't last much longer. He dreaded its end.

* * *

"You need to concentrate on getting every single nerve behind that scaly hide of yours changed," Jake demonstrated, himself transforming into a dragon and back, heatless blue flame and smoke engulfing him in turns. "The first few times will be quite exhausting, so go at your own pace."

Hector was surprised by Jake's sudden change of tone. No more shouting l cursing.

"Perhaps you could focus on your head first, and then the rest of your body after," Nerk appended.

Hector went completely still, as he clenched his eyes shut. He felt no need to breathe. This went on for over three minutes.

Growing more and more uncomfortable at the stillness, Nerk glanced at Jake nervously, whispering, "is he dead?"

"Of course he's not d-"

The silver dragon emitted a flurry of blinding white light, head down, causing the two to shut their eyes instinctively. The luminance subsided. At last, the manifestation of their efforts- Hector was once again human!

Jake winked at Nerk who returned it,

" _Of course he's not dead."_

Jake took a good look at his new student in human form, still in his white hospital garbs. Hector had been seen as what came to be recognised as the Argent Dragon, but not yet as a seemingly ordinary almost-fifteen-year-old by his mentor. Hector at least a full head taller, which came as a surprise to him as they were of identical height as dragons.

He had lean, angular features and broad shoulders. Jake found some semblance between him and Brad Morton, but he couldn't quite equate them- Hector had black hair instead of Brad's blond, and he could see the lingering gleam of Hector's hair wax. But they were both similar in build and stature, even though they were almost three years apart. Hector didn't exactly give off the vibes of a completely self-centred jerk, either.

 _Why does everyone have to be taller than me?_

Jake felt a flicker of envy. But now wasn't the time for that.

"Good job, mate!" Nerk remarked cheerfully as he gave him a thumbs up and a pat on the back.

"We'll just have to continue working on transforming. Back into a dragon. Which _will_ be the next session's problem."

The three of them were smiling from ear to ear.

Jake suddenly remembered what Grandpa had told him, to issue a few reminders before they left.

"So... I'll be seeing you at my Gramp's place next Sunday, yeah? I heard you've already made arrangements for your big move."

And then all mirth departed from Hector's face.

* * *

Hector gave a slow, sad knock on the white wooden door he'd been seeing every weekend for the past seven years of his life- a tradition that would cease to exist in a week.

"Hey!" resounded a friendly, expecting voice from behind the door as it flew ajar. Alex.

He so wanted to return the greeting. To throw him a playful punch, and take off for the skate park. But that was not to be.

"A... Alex? We... we need to talk..." Hector said weakly.

 _I can't break down... Not in front of Alex... I can't..._

Alex's eyebrows rose in concern, as he stretched out a comforting arm onto Hector's shoulder.

He tried to choke back whatever he could, but his voice wavered as much as his spirit. He clenched his fists tightly, as though there were something there that would offer him some small measure of consolation.

"Yeah? What's wrong, man?"

"I'm... I'm moving to New York." He paused for breath. "Saturday morning."

Alex looked at him with a blank expression, the one he only made when utterly defeated.

"But... but why?"

Hector asked himself how many times he would have to repeat the lie he was about to tell Alex.

* * *

Hector was at boiling point.

"You AGREED to send me to New York! You didn't EVEN ask for other options! And why do _they_ have to mentor me when the two of you can?"

"There weren't-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

He slammed his room door shut vehemently. At last, all the tears that he couldn't shed in front of Alex came pouring down.

* * *

Hector clutched the black digital watch Alex gave him, before strapping it around his wrist. It was supposedly his birthday present, but now an advance one. He'd already eaten the rest of his gift. The relocation came as a shock to both. They'd been inseparable friends since the age of six. Alex... was like a brother to him. Closer to him than he was to his own family. He was disappointed that Alex couldn't send him off.

He thought of the thrill they had skateboarding in the park, even to school and back. He thought about repeating that dastardly _lie_ \- that he was there for studies, and not for any other shady reason. Of course, the council had warned him against revealing anything. Not even Alex could know. Not even Aunt Casey. Only his parents knew. With whom he hadn't spoken since all the shouting and arguing at home. With whom he had once trusted and confided in. Whom he had left without a word.

But he didn't want to think about them.

 _I'd be lucky if I can even make acquaintances in the damn place._

His mind wandered back to when Jake was helping him with transformation on Draco Island. The supposedly split-second procedure had taken almost three hours to master. He knew Jake didn't like him. But _why_? He dreaded transferring to Jake' school. Tenth grade would be tough. Jake would be even tougher to deal with.

He would have continued chewing over those thoughts, if the ferry ride didn't make him sick enough already. He could feel the contents of his stomach working their way up his throat.

Aunt Casey would be waiting for him at the harbour of New York. He'd been there before to visit her, but had never actually visited her place. They hadn't met in over two years. Hopefully it wouldn't be too small. He'd been instructed by the Council to keep her- or anyone not a dragon, for the matter- unaware of his dragon identity, and to tell her he was there for "studies". In his green duffel bag was nothing but clothing, his skateboard, and his laptop. Aunt Casey had be assumed to have everything else he'd ever possibly need. He'd have to meet his new mentors the next day, too.

He couldn't understand the Dragon Council's urgency to start training. The one week notice was ridiculous. And for that, he despised them. The move, he felt, would be his undoing.

The ferry went over a large wave, causing it to bob up and down and shake to and fro violently. Hector felt his stomach rising up his throat. Or its contents. Or both. The only other passengers seated near him were a family of four, all trying to avoid making eye contact with him.

He threw up in his mouth.

 _Oh God, I shouldn't have eaten so much for lunch._

A glance of his watch revealed that the ride would last around three more hours. Barely one had passed.

 _This is going to be a hell of a ride._

* * *

"There you are! How's my favourite nephew?" called Aunt Casey, dressed in a maroon dress and sporting hair dyed red, as she dashed towards him across the arrival hall. She was a cordial middle aged lady from his maternal side of the family, with an unusual, even crazy affinity for the colour red. She landed a big, affectionate hug, which he didn't resist, but reciprocated. "You've grown so much!"

Aunt Casey willingly agreed to let him live with her for a year or two. Hector's mother and her had fallen out of touch, but she never objected or hesitated. As to why they fell out, all his mother said was " _you'll know when you get there"_. Frankly, he didn't even know she lived in New York until one week back. Hector admired her kindness.

The car ride back to her place was, thankfully, less painful than the ferry. He was barraged with questions, but gave curt, dodgy responses.

"How's your mom been doing?"

"Ok."

"So, what brings you to the Big Apple?

He grimaced internally.

"I'm... here for studies."

He was glad she didn't push any further.

* * *

From the car, Hector already guessed which one of the houses along that seemingly endless row was his Aunt's. Aunt Casey's place was astonishingly large, as were all the houses down that lane. Compared to his house, Aunt Casey's was a mansion. A facade of fresh red paint, complemented by a garden of red flowers, Hector decided were either roses or carnations- he couldn't tell. All this a stark contrast from the nondescript greyish walls he had grown used to back home, and also the rest of the other houses down the street.

The white fence gate was unlatched, and he found himself amidst a sea of red.

Her living room was no different, in the sense that it too was largely red. Red carpeted floor, a red L-shaped sofa. The dining table wasn't red, but it did have a cinnabar tablecloth. Hector found it unnerving how it was so difficult to tell where the floor ended and the wall began.

* * *

"Make yourself comfortable!"

 _I could get used to this_ , Hector thought as he stepped into his new bedroom on the second floor, previously the guest room. It was on the opposite end of the hallway from his Aunt's, and the light that poured through the pair of windows made artificial light in the day unnecessary. Hector would soon come to realise that this room was the only one in the house that hadn't been _redified_. It featured a small empty bookshelf with a striped base on it, a wooden study desk with a matching chair, a ceiling-high wardrobe, and of course, his bed- all this with space to spare. Framed pictures of two young children Hector didn't recognise dotted the blue wall, and glow-in-the-dark stars and moons the ceiling. He jumped onto the mattress, while she whisked off to set up the table for lunch. He made himself comfortable, leaving his duffel bag unzipped and clothing strewn over the floor when he took out a fresh set of clothing for later.

He knew Aunt Casey wouldn't object to him messing up his room, or as he called, "making himself comfortable".

* * *

The table was laid with geometric precision. Yellow-green avocado pear halves stuffed with mushrooms and mayonnaise, a whopping platter of baked potato topped with sour cream, and an amazing spread of salad. And a sweating pitcher of fruit tea to wash it all down. Not a utensil lay out of place.

"I've made something special today. The twins are having a sleepover and won't be back till tomorrow, so help yourself," she spoke in her usual singsongy tone while popping baguette slices in the oven.

 _Twins? Nobody told me about twins._

He was about to bite into a lettuce leaf when he realised that there was no _meat_ on the table.

"Erm, Aunt Casey, what about... meat?"

"Oh no no no! You won't find any in this household!" Her eyes widened, her hands furiously fiddling with a salad laden fork as she spoke. "We can't go around eating animals, can we? Besides, it's healthier and we're saving the earth this way!" she answered with her usual impossible alacrity.

 _That's what she means by "something special"? I can't live like this! I need meat!_

* * *

A sleepless night. Hector was simply too hungry to sleep.

 _Maybe that's why they fell out._

Five o'clock in the morning. He had to be _there_ in an hour.

Sunday would be a long day. After an unsatisfying dinner, and anticipating many more such meals, he decided to indulge himself in a hearty breakfast at the expense of his wallet. He had been granted him free access to the kitchen and its contents, but nothing in there satisfied him. He snuck out of the house before she noticed his absence or woke up, whichever came first.

As he bit into a hearty beef sandwich, he acknowledged to himself that he couldn't afford to do this too often. He scooted off to find the place, eating on the go.

Canal Street Electronics was a lot more close, dilapidated, and cluttered than he had imagined. Brown paint flaked off brown walls and brown doors. From the outside, he could see that the couches were previously green. Red lanterns on red string thinning with age dangled from the ceiling. Red banners with funny characters he couldn't understand. He dreaded entering and decided to enter quietly without being noticed. The chimes that rang with the opening of the door gave him away with a start.

But no one came to greet him.

Relieved, he ventured further into the shop. Piles of ancient electronics dominated the already cluttered space.

 _Cassette players? Who uses these anymore?_

He wondered when they last even had a customer, or if he were even in the right place.

* * *

"Ah, you finally decided to show up, _shapeshifter_."

Mathias spun around in the previously empty library to find a familiar face looking right into his, the face's upper lip curled into a sneer. Nigel. Mathias didn't expect him, not at this hour, not at this place.

"So, what brought you here? What _finally_ brought you here, to Manhattan?"

He could see the taunting in Nigel's eyes. It rankled him. But in the spirit of things, he let it pass.

"That's none of your concern, Nigel. What are _you_ doing here, anyway?"

The two had been deep-seated rivals since long back, stemming from a feud over who was the best in London's Wizard Academy. But Nigel left London for New York to pursue an advancement in his career as a sorcerer, which Mathias found incredibly foolish.

 _That redhead doesn't even have the wits_ , he had thought.

But now, the inescapable truth was that both were in New York, even if for different reasons. _Even if he was there against his will._

"That's none of your business, either." Nigel's eyes narrowed to a thin gaze. Mathias rolled his eyes scornfully.

"You're starting to pick up an American accent."

Nigel's hands shot up to cover his mouth, as though what Mathias had said was the most offensive remark in the world. His eyes narrowed to glare, and he promptly made his leave without so much as a rebuttal or retaliation.

Mathias sighed and continued sifting through the contents of the library, no match for his personal collection back in England.

 _Damn it, Nigel._

* * *

Mathias' father was away on an unprecedented work trip once again- and this time, he wouldn't be back till the end of the month.

Mathias missed Bertrand's company, but he didn't mind being alone either. He liked being alone. For as long as there was peace and quiet, he would read and read and read. He just didn't fancy being lonely.

But that night, he couldn't focus.

 _How uncanny that I'd meet that fool so soon_ , he thought to himself.

His new apartment was barely a fifth of the old mansion in size, and he knew every nook and cranny by heart within the first two days. He thought it _underwhelming_. _Pathetic_. He didn't like it, to say the least. He hated it.

But there was one place he hadn't yet seen, and that was his father's office.

* * *

The tudor style room had a forbidding feel about it, however elegantly furnished, however similar it was to the rooms of the old mansion. No room in this house looked remotely like it.

Mathias didn't know what led him in here. He _knew_ he knew better, but he could not withhold himself. It was an unspoken rule- nobody but Father should enter the room. The huge wooden door felt heavy against his palms. The room seemed a lot bigger than it should have been. No, it _was_ a lot bigger than it should have been. _Magic,_ he knew. The lambert crystal chandelier, which hung like the sword of Damocles above him, was the sole light source of the room, radiating a strange glow. There was a suffocating absence of windows, though he could tell where they were before. It ought to have been dark, but it was as well lit as a stadium. _Magic,_ he knew. An immaculate workable was the centrepiece of the room, surrounded by corridors and corridors of books. The books and documents that lay on the table and haunted the shelves had levels of orderliness foreign to even Mathias, who considered himself to be the most organised and meticulous person he'd ever met and would ever meet. He knew that such organisation could only ever be achieved with _magic_ , and he felt unsettled knowing that his would never be as good as his Father's.

He'd never been close to his father. He didn't even know if he ever had a mother. He felt like the orphaned children in all those books he'd read, except, he wasn't in a book, except, he wasn't really parentless. Even if Father was barely there for him, whether he was needed or not.

Mathias settled himself on the chaise lounge at the work table. It was also wooden, similar to the one in his room, and matched the brownish hue of the worktable. He knew his Father wouldn't know, but he still had to be wary. He sat, and felt important for sitting on such an important chair in such an important room, belonging to such an important person. He knew his Father was important, but exactly how, he didn't. He glossed over the contents of the table. A stack of documents with graphs he couldn't be bothered to decipher, another wad of notes with immaculate cursive on straight lines, piles of boring brown envelopes. He was careful not to rearrange them.

He spotted something out of place. A smaller white envelope slot in between the stack of browns. He thought he'd gently tug it out from under the stack. As he did, red crumbs of wax came off the seal, now undone. He could see part of the crumbled off initials on the seal, the _E_ and what looked like an _R_.

He recognised that letter.

It was the one that his Father received, the one that had sent him into spiralling despair.

He took the handwritten letter out of the envelope. It felt unnatural.

He found the handwriting scrawling and unreadable, but could make up most parts.

 _Mr Heyse:_

 _The [illegible] you have sent us has been met with overwhelming response. Our [illegible] has already located and secured a suitable abode. Your services will be necessary in [illegible]. You are expected in a week's time at the previously agreed meeting venue, the Pa[illegible] towers._

 _Regards,_

 _[Illegible]_

 _Secretary of His Lordship_

And in an instant, Mathias knew who it was from, and that it wasn't an _R_.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this installment of the AmDrag: Fresh Encounters. I really ought to find a better name...

Leave your feedback/comments!


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